Paranoia
by Komine
Summary: And so I have returned, from the end of reincarnation and from the depths of hell. Reincarnated!OC as Mukuro ; Antagonistic!OC
1. Chapter 1

Here we may reign secure, and in my choyce  
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:  
Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n

Paradise Lost (1.261-263)

.

Despair drove people to do horrible things.

I figured that's what caused Antonio to leave his wife. That's probably what caused Gianna to go insane and kill her parents. And Roberto to commit suicide in front of his daughter.

I'm hoping, that's why my mother decided to sell me to the mafia.

Nine months in her womb, a particularly painful birth and three years of being the perfect son wasn't enough. Whatever attachment that formed in that period shattered like glass in front of a couple Euros, paper currency that meant nothing outside of social definitions.

She cried out loud, droplets of tears staining her face, soaking her collar and wetting my cheek. She was the heroine of a tragedy, her clothes tattered in places, dirt patches that could no longer be washed out staining the fabric, what was once a beautiful white dress now a brown coloured rag.

They dragged her off, tearing her arms off my body, throwing her out on the streets. She begged for another minute but they shooed her away. A vice grip on the back of my neck scratched against my skin, claws leading me into the dark, hollow halls.

Happiness was a facade. Kindness was a lie. Love was ephemeral.

When it came to the Estraneo family, all three were nonexistent.

.

Children in the slums had no names. I was always 'hey you' or 'boy over there.' In the Estraneo family, names were a luxury reserved only for the important people. The powerful people.

We're only given numbers. Experiment subject codes.

Once upon a time, I had a name. Once upon a time, I grew up in loving family. Once upon a time, I was a spoilt, oblivious, happy child. But that time existed in another life, a parallel timeline that would never converge with the current one, a dream that only served to remind me how miserable and pathetic my current one was.

But dreams of that life kept me from going insane. Dreams of that life left kept me anchored to reality, despite the experiments, the pain and the suffering.

Dreams of that life kept me alive.

Because when I woke, the only things that greeted me were the dark, empty room, the burning pain in my eye, blood curdling screams and strangled cries.

.

It hurthurt _hurt_.

It was all pain, pain, pain and more pain.

I'd seen hell, and hell was nothing compared to this.

.

Reincarnation was a supernatural phenomenon that shouldn't exist. In a world where truth and reality was based in science and logic, that was indeed true. But in a world where supernatural was the norm, where truths and facts are defined by things that cannot be explained by science and logic, reincarnation was but another concept that simply _was_.

I couldn't explain it. Estraneo didn't realise it. Despite all the exhaustive efforts and research, they couldn't figure out what made me _special_ , what made me _different_ , what made me a perfect fit for their experiment.

Ironic.

.

There was one room with white washed ceramic walls that smelled. It stunk of rotten flesh, of blood, of pain, helplessness and despair. It was dark, pitch black, with a somber shadow cast over the room that never left.

Occasionally we heard a scream, but more often than not it was silent, the bruises, cuts and other inflicted wounds that decorated our skin as we were sent back to the room the only evidence of the abuse we endured.

They kept us silent in the room. The stray whimper and cry that escaped warranted punishments. More pain.

We barely interacted.

I never talked.

We just sat there, staring death in the face, praying for mercy.

.

The day I turned nine, I made a pact with the devil. They promised to get me out of there.

 _Anything,_ I promised, clutched my body closer to myself and forcing it to stop shaking. _Anything_.

I was desperate, for release, for escape, for freedom. I needed power, strength, the ability to remove obstacles, to destroy my enemies and secure my safety. I pleaded with the devil. I danced along with the flames of inferno, relished in the scorching fire licking my skin, burning in marks that taint my soul at the deepest level.

I woke up with the most intense of headaches, my body splitting and torn apart from the onslaught of power, my blood boiling in my veins and my senses shutting down from the influx of information, screaming from the new heightened sensitivity.

.

It was a torturous two months.

The Estraneo seemed more determined than ever to produce results and the incessant experiments in the day doubled, tripled and quadrupled. They ignored the toil it took on my body, focused only on producing results, resolved to perfect their one _special weapon._

Me.

.

It was exhilarating, almost orgasmic as the darkness purred at me, the power thrumming through my veins, watching as they kneeled and fell before me, one by one.

I held back the laugh bubbling at the back of my throat and managed to contain all of the elation in a smile, a sinister spread of my lips in ecstasy as I stared down at the empty room. The walls are splattered with blood, a gory mess on the floor of guts and other unfavourable bodily fluids. Tables were overturned, the curtains in tatters, and equipment sizzling slightly from electricity sparks. The pleads and screams still echoed in my ears, like a musical melody, a comforting tune as they begged for mercy, cursing and damning my existence as I reminded them that they were my creators.

I picked up the silver trident from the floor, tracing a finger softly over the ornate and elegant design on the hilt. It belonged to the unmoving body under my feet. They called him boss, while he was still breathing. Not that he had any use for it anymore.

The door squeaked open and two pairs of doe eyes peered in. I watched as their awed eyes scanned the room, mouth ajar and frozen in space as they digested the scene.

" _Kufufu."_

.

Faking it came easily.

They took me without much suspicion, believing me to be but a mere fortunate survivor of the massacre along with the other two children. We were separated but I swore to them we would keep in touch, a reassuring smile as they get dragged away.

And then I turned to meet my new "family," possession bullet in hand and the smile of an angel on my face.

.

They gave me a name but the word never stuck.

I washed it down the drain along with the blood, the stench, the guilt and my morals.

.

Another family in the Northern Italy fell, the power of the mafia in the area almost completely destroyed. I would slowly work my way through the country, then the world, until I was safe, until I was free.

I stood behind Lancia, the man currently under my control. Possession was a dangerous, dangerous thing. The ability to completely control a person was addicting and consuming - to have someone carry out your deeds, to be able to sit on the throne high above them and watch it unfold.

He broke down in front of me, the guilt and the weight of the blood on his hands suffocating him.

It later dawned on me how absolutely twisted and perverse a sentiment it was but I felt giddy. It was an intoxicating feeling, euphoric knowing that I caused, dragged and watched as a man, a man of his standing, a man on grounds as high as his, fell, plunging straight down, crashing and burning to where he was, right now, groveling under my feet.

.

One day, the entire world will do the same.

.

It was an amusing thing, watching as events unfold the way I expected them to, adhering to the way the future had been dictated as I knew it in another lifetime. I followed what the story had laid out. I destroyed the Estraneo family and all but eradicated all the Northern Italian mafia families.

Unfortunately for the story, however, I didn't quite enjoy the idea of spending the next four years in prison or up to ten years in a glass tube.

No. I had other plans.

What happened in the story served as a backdrop with a difference purpose. A purpose that worked for Sawada Tsunayoshi, for Vongola.

A purpose that, to be rather honest, I couldn't care less for.

.

We left Northern Italy, covering our tracks and crafting false leads that led the investigating teams elsewhere. The truth was whatever I wished it to be. I painted a scene of power struggles, of mutual destruction, an internecine battle fought between corrupted families.

I laughed as they fell straight into my trap.

.

Laying low(ish) was boring but necessary. The dull passing of time was measured only by the hands on the broken clock and the empty food containers building up in a corner of the abandoned factory.

With little encouragement, the others picked out names for themselves - familiar syllables that I had been calling them in my head for years.

Ken. Chikusa..

I followed the script, attached the name to my part. Rokudo Mukuro.

The words tasted funny on my tongue, I was much more used to another name, another label, one that represented an easier time and simpler days, a lifetime ago, existing only in my mind.

Memories that I mulled over in my head as I sat on the floor, staring into my empty future.

.

Stalking. Escorts. Blackmail. Information Brokerage. Arson. Assault. Kidnapping. Smuggling. Arms trafficking. Murder. Assassinations. Massacres.

There was no nature of work that I did not accept and none that I did not complete perfectly.

I had no loyalties. I had no ties. No hindrance. No distractions.

 _Mukuro_ became synonymous as the one to go to for jobs no one else to take.

 _Mukuro_ was the one when jobs needed to be completed, quick, clean and in the shadows. A mercenary. A hitman. Anything you needed as long as the correct price was paid.

.

I couldn't stop laughing, a hysterical grin across my face as I turned to the decaying ceiling, the sound of my laughter booming across the barren building.

" _Kufufufu...fufu...fu...fuha...hahahaha…."_

Despite the beckoning of my curiosity, I had stayed in Italy. Japan was a chapter for the future that I needn't bother with yet. And the result of my decision sat in my hands, in a primly sealed red envelope, ripped in half and awaiting to be burned. Barely visible through the tear marks were the words: _Varia_.

Receiving the letter was a feat in itself, and it meant that my choice to stay in Italy paid off. The significance of it, however, was lost on me. Besides, what use is it, joining an assassination unit that was currently on house arrest and under supervision?

I could only laugh at the irony as I set it on fire, watching as it burned in the middle of my palms.

.

We met in a back alleyway.

I wasn't expecting seeing him there but it was a pleasant surprise, the white hair, lilac eyes and the purple tattoo standing out amongst the beaten thugs on the floor.

" _Grazie_ ," he said as I disposed of the last one, flinging the body over into the nearby trash collection.

I didn't reply and we stood there, staring at each other, a bubble of tension around us.

A wise decision was probably to kill the boy then and there. It would have been all too easy. In the back of my mind, I could hear the distinctive voice detailing how every parallel world other than the canonical one was destroyed fifteen years later. I looked at the boy in front of me, malnourished, stick and bones, with bruises, cuts and possibly a broken leg, and wondered if he was aware the amount of destruction that he was capable of.

He shifted in his spot, eyeing the various dead bodies that lay around us, the detached look in his eye best described as boredom.

" _Kufufu."_

He turned his attention back to me, and then to the exit of the alleyway that I was currently blocking. I met his gaze with my heterochromatic eyes, half a smirk playing on my lips and extended my hand.

There was no hesitation as he reached out and took it.

.

It surprised me.

It seemed all too easy to trigger his powers - it was barely a week before Byakuran (I played no part in his choosing of the name) came to me with a look on his face that spoke volumes.

It was nothing compared to what he was capable of in the future, but already, he could do plenty.

.

I couldn't find the word to describe our relationship.

More than acquaintances. Definitely not friends. Partners? Not quite. Whatever it was, however, it worked between the two of us.

We didn't work together, but at the same time the two of us were inseparable.

A parasitic relationship. But as to who played the role of the host, I wasn't sure. Nor did it matter.

.

"Have you ever wondered how the world will end?"

"That's a rhetorical question."

.

Normal twelve year old boys went to school. They joined school clubs, played at the playground, made friends, hung out after school and went back to their families at the end of the day.

Mafia children went to school - albeit a special school, trained, focused on their specialities and went back to their famiglias at the end of the day where they swore fealty to a organisation that locked chains around their legs and put a gun to their head.

I started my day with a murder. Added an arson crime to the unending list in the afternoon. Followed that up with a blackmail or two in the evening and finished the day with an assassination, returning to my hideout at night, covered in blood that wasn't mine.

It was an apartment which proved to be more than enough room for them. It was mostly empty and contained only the bare essentials. There was no point furnishing when they were constantly on the move, going from one place to another to avoid being tracked.

But there was Ken. There was Chikusa. There was Lancia (sometimes.) And there was Byakuran.

It wasn't much, but it was home.

.

"I have the details."

Byakuran dropped the papers on the table, a mess of letters and photos. An assassination request. It didn't look too difficult at first glance. I raised an eyebrow at him as I scanned through the documents, signalling for him to elaborate.

"It's on an artificial island, recreational but heavily guarded. As far as I know, the Italian army also has eyes on it. It's going to be tough getting in."

I let out a soft whistle, my gaze turning back to the information sheets. But something caught my eye and my eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown.

 _Mare Diavola._

It sounded...familiar. And then it clicked.

"It's Vongola's island." I snorted, coming to the realisation as to _why_ it sounded so familiar. I threw the file of documents back on the table, losing interest completely. I leveled Byakuran a smirk as I leaned back, lounging against the couch. "That's where they locked him up. Xanxus."

Byakuran hummed in response, a cheerful smile on his face as he took another look at the papers as he does. He was used to it by now. There was no reason, no explanation as to why I knew some things that I shouldn't - that no one should. That was already established, when I knew of his powers, when I helped awaken his powers, powers that no one should've thought possible, much less that he possessed it.

It was just another of those somethings that simply _was_.

"I'll get you in. I have something I want to check out."

.

It was a magnificent sight. What little light that streamed through was reflected against the emptiness in the cave, a sparkling rainbow that shackled the feared Varia boss.

It was an interesting thought, to think that this was how it had been for seven years.

"How does it feel, Xanxus? To be completely abandoned here?"

It amused me, to see the way the look in his gaze shifted. Had he not been frozen, it must have been a rather spectacularly dazzling scowl.

"Let's make a deal."

.

She was dying, her silent desperate cries tearing down the walls of my mind as she flooded my world with her pleas.

 _Save me. Please. I don't… want to… die. Please._

.

Saving Nagi - _Chrome_ \- was surprisingly easy.

I had thought it would take more to maintain a permanent illusion across such a vast distance. It didn't. I barely needed to pay attention to it.

Then again, they weren't my illusions. They were hers.

She was powerful, more powerful than she was ever depicted.

Now I saw what Mukuro knew. Her potential. He knew the extent of her abilities. That's why he trusted her so, even when she didn't trust herself.

Mukuro was a fool to give her to the Vongola.

There was no way, no way I would give her up now. Now that I know too.

.

Mare Diavola was drowning in a sea of flames.

"Let's just say, Xanxus, you owe me one."

"Fuck off, scum."

.

"Your bleeding heart is more trouble than it's worth."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Byakuran chuckled, a childish giggle that would stick no matter how old he aged. "No, I suppose you just can't help saving everyone that you come across."

I fought the urge to grin, but my lips twitched into a small smile despite myself. "Don't be jealous."

"Jealous?" Byakuran laughed, out loud, letting his laughter ring out in the empty apartment. He tilted his head slightly, lilac eyes falling on me in a gaze that I couldn't quite understand. "You're right. Perhaps I am. Just a little."

.

"He's a weird fucking guy. I don't know why Mukuro-sama still keeps him around."

"Quiet down, Ken, they can hear you."

.

Things moved quickly after I made the decision to leave for Japan. With Xanxus freed, there was little left to do in Italy for now and we arrived in the oriental country within days.

Kokuyo Land was more desolate than I expected.

"I hope you have a plan, Mukuro-kun."

I smirked. "Of course."

It was finally time to set it all in motion, to pay Vongola - _Sawada Tsunayoshi_ \- a visit and end this farce.

.

I'll make them all pay.

.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I usually put ANs at the bottom, but this is here as a warning. It should be obvious enough but this is an _antagonistic_ OC and it's not going to be sugar-coated - especially in the next, and last, chapter. Don't like, please exit.

There is no pairing, despite what may be.

On another note, I originally planned for this to be a two-shot, but, well, this happened. So this is going to now be a three-shot and I'll try my best to finish it up.

* * *

我本桀驁少年臣，不信鬼神不信人  
I am but a recalcitrant youth, with neither faith in demons, in gods nor in humans.

沙海  
Tomb of the Sea

.

I never thought I would see the woman again, but there she was, the same way I saw her all those years ago: clothes torn, hair disheveled, skin caked with dirt and filth, a desperate and pathetic look in her eyes.

My eyes narrowed as I watched her, huddling in the corner of the streets, tears in her eyes and a child in her arms. Stick and bones, wearing tattered rags that I once wore on my back, scratches decorating her delicate skin. She looked only slightly better than our shared mother, a little cleaner, a little better fed and a little more hope in her eyes.

Perhaps, I once looked like that too.

"Feeling sentimental?" The mocking question led me to stray my eyes to the figure next to me, a complete contrast to the woman I once called my mother: dressed in pristine white, an arm around my shoulders and a disgusting smile on his face.

I shook his arm off roughly, throwing a glare in his direction. "It's none of my business."

I didn't stay to see how Byakuran approached the mother and child and didn't care to find out what he did afterwards. I turned my back on the scene, walking away, one step after another.

.

Two days later, I arrived in Japan, all thoughts of the woman gone from my mind.

.

"This, is your new pet Mukuro-kun?" Byakuran's tone was mocking as he set his eyes on her, a smug smirk on his face as he looked down at her petite frame, clicking his tongue in distaste.

"This is Chrome."

I dropped a hand on her head possessively, smoothing my fingers through her locks. Nagi turned her wide doe eyes at me and I offered her a reassuring smile, my hands settling on her shoulders.

"So yes, your new pet."

I stared at Byakuran. " _Kufufu_ …if Chrome is my new pet, then what does that make you?"

The smirk on Byakuran's face widened at my question, his gaze turning from Nagi to me, a challenging glint in his eyes.

"Woof."

I rolled my eyes. "By the way, is Lancia back yet?"

"Isn't he still in France? It's only been a few days, what are you worried about?"

I shook my head with a slight grimace. Byakuran might not understand, but one could never be careful enough when there was a shounen manga protagonist walking around.

.

Namimori was quiet, peaceful, a nice morning that was greeted by the chirps of the birds, the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze and the sight of a high school boy running around in his boxers yelling with all his might.

To think that this was the future Vongola boss - that one day, given the correct circumstances, he would become the strongest leader of the mafia was a frightening thought.

"The power of the protagonist halo…huh."

How envious.

How easy it would be to simply finish him in the moment. A carefully calculated illusion to trap him and pull him astray and then a trident straight through his heart. Or perhaps the possession bullet that I haven't used in so long.

There was no Vindice to hide away from. There was no mafia to avoid. Sawada's lackeys were but glorified jocks at this point. Sawada Iemitsu was still in the process of dealing with Xanxus' post-release tantrum. There was no one to stop me except…

 _Click._ "Who are you?"

"... the arcobaleno, hmm."

I grimaced slightly as I turned around where I stood. Reborn stood before me, safety off, bullet loaded and the gun pointing at me. I wouldn't say I was surprised. I wasn't masking my presence or hiding my killing intent, but nonetheless, I suppose he didn't earn his reputation based on nothing.

"What do you want with Tsuna?"

"Would you believe me if I said nothing?" The warning shot hit the ground next to my feet, leaving a blackened mark where it made contact. "Good point. Many don't, though I have no idea why. I've never lied. It's quite disheartening, you know."

Reborn didn't say anything but he glared at me under the shadow of his fedora with a look in his eyes that no one would want to see from a baby.

"Take a guess, arcobaleno." I chuckled, knowing that there was no way I could get through Reborn's guard. "What could I possibly want from the Vongola X candidate?" Sarcasm was dripping from my words like venom, a syrupy coating that only served to make the look in Reborn's eyes darken even further. I flashed him a pleasant smile, one that he didn't buy into even the slightest.

"I repeat, who are you?"

I chuckled, bringing a hand to my chin as I thought about the question. " _Kufufu._ You know, arcobaleno, I wonder about that too."

 _Click_.

"My, my, aren't you an impatient baby. But don't worry, arcobaleno Reborn, I don't plan to start anything. _Kufufu…I promise_."

The bullet fired shot straight through the illusion, leaving Reborn standing alone, smoking rising from his gun and the remnants of the dissipating mist.

.

The flush in her cheeks was nothing short of adorable. She stood there in the Kokuyo uniform, hair hanging below her shoulders, staring up at me with a slight disappointment in her eyes.

"You're not coming with us, Mukuro-sama?"

"No, I have something to check out but Ken and Chikusa will join you." I smiled softly, raising and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears, recalling the effort I had put in in order to stop her from cutting it to match my own hairstyle—which was not, and I repeat, was _not_ the embarrassing pineapple updo.

"Mukuro-sama, I don't want to go to school either-byon."

"Of course, Ken's an idiot so school might be hard for you."

"You wanna fight, Kakipi?"

Chrome managed to break the two of them up before it ended in a fight and I watched as the three of them made their way to Kokuyo Middle School through the broken window, hearing Ken's yells all the way from the second floor.

"And so, Mukuro-kun?" Byakuran asked from where he lay on the sofa, lilac eyes opening lazily and staring up at me. "What is that something you have to do?"

"Oh," I titled my head as I turned to look at Byakuran, rolling my eyes, "like you don't already know."

He laughed in return, sitting up against the sofa and narrowing his gaze at me, an eerie smile on his face. "About that, you see, I don't, Mukuro-kun, surprisingly. That's why I'm asking."

I turned away from the windows, facing him completely. "What are you trying to say, Byakuran?" I asked, my tone low, arms folded in front of my chest.

He didn't reply immediately, humming softly as he fingered the packet of marshmallows lying open on the table. I frowned, assessing the taunting smile on Byakuran's face and his languid movement. The corners of my lips turned down ever so slightly.

"You're different," he said eventually, cheerful as ever. "Parallel worlds exist under rules, laws and in order, like everything else in the world. Naturally, they are not for certain, as is nothing in the world, but you are an anomaly that behaves completely outside of conjectures and natural patterns."

"Hmm." The reason behind that was more than obvious. To me, at the very least.

I leaned against the floor length windows, gazing sideways at the empty amusement park grounds, the sight overlapping with the long-distance pan shot that I was so used to seeing of the run-down building with the slanted Kokuyo Healthy Land logo.

"And so? What do you think?"

At my question, Byakuran throws his arms up animatedly. "Who knows? I've got nothing. I was hoping you would know."

I shrugged. " _Kufufu_ …who knows?"

Byakuran laughed again, his voice echoing in the derelict building.

.

The class bells chimed, emptying out the students that wandered around in the halls and the school grounds, ushering them back into the packed classrooms. Namimori Middle School was the same as picturedl. Middle school, how nostalgic.

"Loitering on school grounds is an offense."

I couldn't help the slight smirk that plays on my lips. It hasn't even been two minutes. "I see. Shame."

I heard the tonfas before I saw them, the sound of the shaft of the weapon cutting through the air was a warning of the imminent attack, one that I dodged with ease. The attacks were unstoppable, raining down on me one after another as Hibari Kyouya switched to offensive stance, a predatory smile across his face. I evaded the blows one after another, light on my step as I flitted across the grounds in a zig-zag pattern, never breaking eye contact with the Namimori Middle School Disciplinary Committee leader.

"Fight back, why don't you?"

I tilted my head at the same time I skipped to the left, dodging yet another blow aimed at my right arm. "Are you sure? This is still school grounds. I don't want to be held responsible if anything gets destroyed." I shrugged, landing on the sandy ground of the school sports ground, a small cloud of dirt wafting up in the air.

The attacks stopped at my question, Hibari taking a moment to consider the point in my words. He stood straight again. "Hmm, you're right."

"You can come find me at Kokuyo Land."

"Kokuyo. I see, that's why you don't look familiar," Hibari narrowed his eyes at me. "You're strong, but you don't seem a threat for now. I'll spare you today."

I chuckled softly, " _Kufufu_ , well, thanks."

"Tell me then, what are you doing here, if you are from Kokuyo? Depending on your response I might retract my decision."

"Relax," I held up my arms in surrender, "I'm just checking out the area. Namimori is very interesting, don't you think? You don't ban tourists here, do you?" I flashed him a smile, a cheerful, blindingly bright, and fake one.

"Hmm," Hibari hummed before turning around, losing interest, "what a disgusting smile."

I stared after him, a chuckle on my lips. " _Kufufu_. I know, I think so too."

.

"Hey, Mukuro-kun," there was slight exasperation in the tone along with resignation, confusion and amusement. Byakuran lets out a sigh, staring at me with judgement behind his gaze. "I understand that you make it a hobby to adopt orphans and dying children, but what is this meaning of this?"

Lancia had returned from his trip to Jura, France, and had dropped off the baggage that I requested before leaving to Italy again—also on my request. The less time he spent in Namimori, the better.

The 'this' that Byakuran was gesturing to, was the emerald-haired boy that lay curled up in one of the tattered couches in the room with an apple hat around his head.

"His name is Fran."

"He's barely out of primary."

I fixed Byakuran a stare. "Then you can teach him. I need him in my plan, it's not up for discussion."

I stood up from where I sat, setting down the book in my hands and heading for the exit. He blocks me, the white of his shirt filling my sight. I didn't realise until that moment, that Byakuran had already grown taller than me, standing a head taller than me and staring down at me with the same smile on his face.

"So you _do_ have a plan, Mukuro-kun. Care to share?"

I glanced up to meet his gaze. We were at a stand-still for a moment, seconds, close enough that I could see the rise and fall of his chest, feel his breath against the top of my head.

I find myself mirroring his smile. " _Fufu_ , you're right. It's not something I can do alone."

When I saw the incredulous gaze Byakuran gave me, I couldn't help but laugh.

.

"Ah, you here, Hibari Kyouya."

His eyebrows twitched. "I don't remember telling you my name."

"Oh, you know, I have my ways."

.

One thing that was good about having a run-down amusement park as headquarters was the space and the lack of need to care about what was or was not there, what we could or could not break, destroy and blow into smithereens.

Hibari Kyouya was strong, stronger than what I had expected despite knowing the depictions of his strength in the original works. But what he had in raw power and skill, he lacked in experience. Trapped in a small city with nary a person around to match his strength, it was both impressive and amazing what he could do.

It was however, much to Hibari's obvious dismay, not enough to defeat me.

I've had too much experience in areas that he lacked, abilities that he doesn't possess and a cheat book inputted in my head that neither he nor anyone else had.

We fought until the sun set and continued until the moon rose high into the sky. It was Byakuran who came to stop us, having restrained Hibari against a pole, owing to the element of surprise.

"You should probably stop there, Mukuro-kun. Chrome is getting worried and your disciple won't shut up, besides," Byakuran's gaze was sharp as he continued, "he's out cold."

I turned to look at Hibari, who was still chained to the pole but wasn't making any attempts to escape. His tonfas were still tightly gripped in his hands but Byakuran was right, at some point during the fight, Hibari had lost consciousness.

"Huh."

"You must be pretty out of it yourself to not have noticed, Mukuro-kun."

By then we had been at it for the majority of the day and with the adrenaline wearing off, I could feel the fatigue settling in. "I guess…you're…right."

.

It wasn't until I woke up the next morning did I find out that I, too, had lost consciousness right after saying that and it was Byakuran that carried both Hibari and I back into the building.

Hibari had already left by then.

.

There were guests at the door apparently. Somehow, they had still managed to locate me despite my lack of involvement. I invited them in, humoured them and listened to their request. They had no bargaining chip against me, and they could offer nothing but stability. It was quite a peculiar conversation, throughout which, I could only imagine what the look on their faces would be like when they realised who I was, what I had done and what I was going to do.

I turned down the offer, a sickly sweet smile on my face as I waved them goodbye.

"Master, I know the reason behind your smile but other people might think you're a creep with that weird smile on your face. Did your face cramp up or something?"

"Fran, shut up-byon!"

At this point, I could definitely sympathise with canon-Mukuro and Belphegor for their actions towards Fran. It was a very tempting idea to stick my trident straight through his apple hat—an illusion which he stubbornly refused to dispel—in that moment. I merely shook my head in irritation before walking off.

"Mukuro-sama, is it time?"

I looked down at the soft-spoken girl matched my pace, my gaze softening as I ran a hand through her hair, watching as the familiar red blush tinted her cheeks. " _Kufufu_ …Indeed, dear Chrome, it's almost time. Finally."

.

"Vongola succession candidate, Sawada Tsunayoshi! Second Vongola succession candidate, Xanxus! The ownership of the Vongola rings that are necessary in order to claim the title as the legitimate heir of the Vongola family will be determined by a battle between Tsuna's family and Varia."

CEDEF. Vongola X Family. Varia.

And unbeknownst to them, we stood on top of a rooftop nearby, staring down at the scene, Mist masking our presences. It was a sight; the gathering of the most of the prevalent recurring characters in the series. Had I come into this scene with a different mindset, with different experiences and a different goal, I wonder how different the future would have changed.

Next to me, Chrome gripped onto my shirt, watching with fascination in contrast to Fran who was staring in disgust.

"Master, you want me to be _that_? No way, it goes completely against my sense of aesthetics."

"Your sense of aesthetics is screwed to begin with anyways," Byakuran responded cheerfully. "Now be a good boy."

"Master, I think we should just ditch the marshmallow freak, I know Ken-senpai will agree with me."

I spared the two of them a glance, rolling my eyes before turning back to look at the Cervello explaining the rules.

 _Soon_.

.

Canon-restoration was something that I had expected. The idea that despite whatever changes irregularities might cause, the storyline will always attempt it's best to repair and restore itself to canon - because the canon was the rules, the logic and the order that dictated the world.

In the end, the Vongola failed to find a Mist guardian, and as a result, was force to forfeit the match. In return, however, Gokudera had won his battle against Belphegor which brought the score back to 3 : 3 by the Cloud battle.

I watched over the Cloud battle from afar—as I did every other battle—standing alone on top of the school roof. I was not completely unnoticed, at the very least the arcobalenos have noticed and I do believe Xanxus glanced my way once or twice. I wasn't keeping track.

It went as expected, following the exact script laid out. It was a one-hit KO in favour of Hibari, who had then challenged Xanxus directly. Gola Mosca went on a rampage and then finally, Sawada Tsunayoshi arrived at the scene.

And then, with a smile, I took my role and joined in the skirmish.

.

I must have been smiling widely as I landed on top of the charging Gola Mosca.

Despite the intense propulsion from the rockets, it was held in place by Sawada Tsunayoshi, the dying will flame alit on his head. His eyes widened as he registered my appearance, confusion and suspicion swirling in his eyes.

"Here, Vongola," I said, trident in hand, staring down at the crumbling metal cage under my feet. "Let me offer you a hand."

It was satisfying, hearing the crunch of metal and bones as the Mist flame-coated tips of the trident speared right through the engine of Gola Mosca, right through the body and reappearing on the other side of the piece of junk.

The blood seeped through the open holes, trailing down the silver of the trident and pooled on the ground where Gola Mosca, having lost its energy source, broke down and collapsed.

The smile on my face spread even wider, a maniacal grin on my face as I pulled my trident free, splatters of blood following its trail. I was exhilarated, trying my best to hold back the hysterical laughter bubbling inside of me. It was ecstasy like that very night the Estraneo family was wiped clean. The same intoxicating euphoria that I had felt as I watched all of Northern Italy fall under my feet.

I turned to Xanxus, stepping off the motionless Gola Mosca, watching as the expressions on his face warped into a mess while every other onlooker stared in confusion.

To everyone else, I was a random stranger who had jumped in at the randomest of moments, and helped Sawada Tsunayoshi stop the rampaging Gola Mosca. Those more observant would notice the faint blood trails seeping out of the robotic suit.

But in this moment, until the truth is revealed, right here, there were only two people who knew of exactly what just transpired in the split-second.

"Come now, Xanxus, why the glare?" I taunted, smirking as his face twisted into rage, a fury that threatened to set the world on fire.

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

.


End file.
